Bend it Like
Beckham

Vol. 7, No. 1 April 2003

Bend it Like
Beckham

[1] Bend It Like Beckham,
directed by Gurinder tells the
story of eighteen-year-old British-Asian Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra).
She is a talented soccer player, and her idol is David Beckham, the star
of Manchester United. One day, Jules (Keira Knightley), captain of the
local women's team, comes across Jess who is playing football in the
park. She introduces Jess to the club's young and charismatic coach Joe
(Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Seeing her potential, he wants her to go to
Santa Clara, California to become a professional football player.
However, her traditionalist Sikh parents have other, more
conventional plans for her future.

[2] The freshness of the film resides in the performance of the young actors, and the comedy draws on social
opposites seen through the eyes of teenagers. Hence, Chadha addresses a young,
broad, multi-cultural audience, familiar with and appreciative of MTV video
aesthetics, pop music, slang and camp language. Although a wide range of
social topics are touched upon, the discourse primarily revolves around
generation, gender, and race. Religion is understood as a factor of political
ethnic identity, myths are deployed in context with gender, and theological
concerns are part of the film's message.

[3] Christian as well as South Asian
theology expects youngsters to respect their elders and, consequently, the
conventions, traditions, and moral assumptions they stand for. Jess breaks
many rules in the process of carving out her own life. She lies to her
parents, imposes on their confidence, and flouts their moral codes. Although
the film encourages the audience to "to keep on pushing," Jess decides to
respect her parents' feelings, and calls her football projects off. With her
act, she allows her father to show his wisdom and, ultimately, to set her
free. So, the credo of the film is that a fruitful relationship between
different generations presupposes the capacity of self-sacrifice, forgiveness
and love.

[4] The film displays the hero myth, which excludes the possibility of a viable heroine, to depict gender
relations. Although Jess excels in a masculine territory, she is chaste,
virginal, submissive, and spiritually dependent on their male patrons. Like
her mother, who prays before an image of Guru Nanak above the piano, Jess talks to the
portrait of Beckham. In due time, Beckham is replaced by Joe, who not only
looks as ascetic, vulnerable and benevolent as the former, but also shows her
the way to personal and professional fulfilment.

to emphasize ethnic exclusion. Hence Mrs Bhamra warns Jess about being
associated with Joe by pointing out the story of someone else who was expelled
from the South Asian diasporic community because she had a relationship with a "gora." And
when Jess's father tells his story of being "chased off like a dog" from the
cricket grounds twenty years ago, and Jess replies that things have changed
and Hussein Nasser is now the chairman of the national team, her comment is
dismissed by her mother arguing that Hussein does not count since he is a
Muslim.

[6] Bend It Like Beckham has been a huge success in Britain, and finds its place within the current
enthusiasm about culturally diverse filmmaking. The film is also of interest for
non-British audiences because it shows the hybridity of cultural life in
Britain. Soccer fans may be mesmerised by spectacular bends and fine
documentary inserts of football matches. Young people may enjoy the music, the
action and the degree of identification. Adults are offered some insight into
youth culture. And teachers may find the film useful as an introduction to a
variety of social, political and cultural issues.